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The invention relates to a device for storing and displaying head wear with a brim, and more particularly, to an assembly for also shaping the head wear brim to the desire of the wearer.
The head wear commonly called a baseball cap, described generically as a head wear with a brim, is a popular item of use for many individuals. These brimmed head wear are often produced with printing or the logo of a sports team displayed on the crown of the cap, just above the bill or brim. Commercial concerns often provide such caps as promotional items, with the company name and logo on the cap. Individuals often collect such caps having their favorite team or company logo.
These same individuals may desire to store and display a number of these brimmed head wear, with the cap markings prominently visible. The individual may also desire to modify the configuration of the cap bill or brim from the normal slightly concave structure to a highly concave or rolled structure. A number of patents have been granted for devices designed for storing, displaying and/or shaping these brimmed head wear or baseball caps.
Devanney, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,984,004, discloses a display assembly with cylindrical containers positioned horizontally with the open end facing outwardly and flush with the display surface and the closed end within the display assembly.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,356, Schieve describes a modular container with a semi-cylindrical channel and pivoting lid. The container is preferably made of transparent plastic, and affixes to a pegboard or similar support.
Lehmann, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,860, discloses a cylindrical container mounted horizontally with a slot to access the interior. Circular divider discs partition the interior into separate sections.
Davis, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,557, discloses a stand with a back on a horizontal base with a curved lower shelf above the base. Vertical pegs are mounted perpendicular to the base for enclosing folded caps with the visors against the back.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,931 Cobb describes a semi-cylindrical device for holding stacked caps. The device can be plastic or other suitable material.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,102, Koenig describes a cap rack that includes a vertical panel having horizontal cap receiving members, each having a curved slot to receive the bill of a cap.
Neirinckx, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,588, discloses a cap display rack with horizontal elements fastened to a pair of vertical supports. The horizontal elements have sets of three pegs for supporting a billed cap. Multiple sets of pegs are spaced over the whole rack.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,411,144 Deupree describes a hat rack that can be square or oval in cross-section. The rack has mounting slots that are sized to accept the top portion of a folded hat with the cap bill extending outwardly from the rack. The hat rack may be mounted on a pivot base as seen in FIG. 8, or on a wire attached at the top for ceiling mounting, as seen in FIG. 9.
LaManna, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,073, discloses a cap holder with a base for mounting to a support surface, such as a wall. Pairs of clamps are fastened perpendicularly to the base. The clamps are portions of the wall of a cylinder with the clamps mounted concentric to each other, as seen in FIG. 2. The visor of a cap is inserted between the clamps to hang the cap.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,465 Berardis describes a device for shaping the brim of a baseball cap. The device is a hollow mold containing a slot for inserting the cap brim. The molds can be fastened together (FIG. 3) or fastened to a base (FIG. 1). The mold also has slots to aerate and dry a wet cap brim.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,694 by Larson shows a hat holder device which has holes with linear extensions to accept a brim of a baseball cap (FIG. 2). The holes with extensions can be located in a flat (FIGS. 3 and 4) or a cylindrical (FIG. 5) support surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,779 by Atkins discloses a cap holder with a vertical back with a lip attached and extending from the back. The lip has holes to accept the rolled brim of a cap The cap brim takes on the rolled configuration after prolonged storage in the hole. Pegs may be attached to the vertical back below the lip to hang garments.
Wilson et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,546, disclose a cap display device having a window piece of transparent plastic containing a backing material and fastened to a rigid back. The window piece conforms to the bill and front half of a folded baseball cap for display.
Applicant has invented a device for storing and displaying head wear with a brim that prominently displays the head wear markings and holds the brim in a highly concave or rolled configuration.
The invention is a display rack for hats, caps or similar head coverings containing a bill or brim. The hollow cylindrical member has open first and second ends and a mounting means secured to an external surface of the cylindrical member for mounting the cylindrical member to a support member. The cylindrical member can be fastened to the support member in several orientations. The mounting support member may be fastened and positioned horizontally or vertically to another surface with multiple mounting strips interconnected. Both the mounting strip and cylindrical member are preferably made of clear acrylic plastic or other translucent material of a chosen color. The cylindrical member is sized to accept the brim or visor of the hat or cap in a slightly bent or rolled configuration, retaining the brim in that configuration while displaying the cap. The cylindrical member may be of sufficient length to accommodate one cap at each end of the cylinder.